Can someone else take over prescription medication

Can Someone Else Pick Up Your Prescription Medication

Generally, getting a prescription filled is a simple task. Yet, for those who are injured, elderly, or have disabilities, this task can become more complex.

In such situations, it might be needed for someone else to pick up the prescription for them.

We’ll explore the usual process for picking up a prescription and what a pharmacy needs if someone is collecting a prescription for someone else.

This infographic presents when someone else can or can't pick up your prescription medication

Picking Up Prescriptions

person handing over a prescription to another individual
This image is generated by DALL-E 3

Just to clarify, “picking up a prescription” or “filling a prescription” refers to collecting someone else’s medication from the pharmacy.

This means the prescription has already been issued to the patient.

It does not involve getting a doctor to prescribe medication for someone else, as doctors write prescriptions only for their own patients.

Usually, getting a prescription for oneself is straightforward.

  1. The doctor sends the prescription to the pharmacy electronically, through fax, or writes a paper prescription for the patient.
  2. The patient goes to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription.
  3. Pharmacy fills prescriptions and charges patients for the medication.

Most pharmacies will only require the patient’s name, date of birth, and valid form of payment to pick up a prescription.

Yet some medications, for example, controlled medication, will require a valid ID.

How Long Do You Have To Pick Up

a person transferring a prescription medication to another individual

Generally speaking, you have about 7 days to pick up a prescription that your doctor has sent to the pharmacy.

However, the prescription does not expire after 7 days.

Depending on the state and type of medication a prescription will remain valid for 6-12 months.

Prescriptions for uncontrolled medications such as lisinopril are typically valid for 12 months from the time a doctor writes the prescription while prescriptions for controlled medication such as Oxycodone are usually only good for 6 months.

What Happens If You Don’t Pick Up

If a prescription is not picked up within 7 days, the medication will likely be reshelved at the pharmacy.

In other words, the pharmacy will need to dispense the medication and have it verified by the pharmacist again before it is available for pickup.

As a reminder, depending on the state and type of medication a prescription will remain valid for 6-12 months.

Can Someone Else Pick It Up?

handing over a prescription medication to someone else

Simply put, yes – In most cases, someone else can pick up your prescription.

There are usually a few extra things that person will need.

For example, if the doctor gave a written prescription, the person picking up the medication will need the written prescription to have it filled at the pharmacy.

Most pharmacies will also require some sort of verification that you know the patient. This could mean knowing the patient’s name, date of birth, etc.

Although, arriving at the pharmacy to pick up a specific prescription for the individual is enough for some pharmacists.

Can Someone Else Pick It Up For Me?

take a medic when some else pick up our recipe

In most cases, someone else can pick up a controlled substance prescription on behalf of the patient.

For example, in California:

 “No prescription for a controlled substance transmitted by means of an oral or electronically transmitted order shall be furnished to any person unknown and unable to properly establish his or her identity.”

In other words, the person will need to have a valid form of ID in order to receive the medication.

Final Words

In short, picking up someone else’s prescription is doable but comes with a few more steps, especially for controlled substances.

Knowing the patient’s basic info usually works, but ID might be needed for specific meds.

If you’re unsure about anything, just ask us at the pharmacy.

Leave a Comment

  +  76  =  79